Here's how to see February's Snow Moon tonight in Arizona

The second full moon of 2024 is just around the corner. The February full moon, commonly known as the Snow Moon, holds cultural and spiritual significance for many people.

February's full moon is a "micromoon" this year, meaning it's at its farthest point from Earth, around 252,225 miles away. The Moon's elliptical orbit causes variations in its distance, affecting size and brightness.

The February full moon will be below the horizon when it reaches its peak illumination, but you can still get a good view of it. Here is everything to know about the February 2024 full moon, including what it's called and why.

If you want to know more about this year's skywatching opportunities, here's a roundup of every notable astronomical event in 2024, everything to know about seeing the northern lights and when to see every supermoon this year.

What day is the full moon in February 2024?

February's full moon will be on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024.

What time is the February full moon?

According to Time and Date, you'll be able to see the full moon in Arizona at 5:30 a.m. Feb. 24.

To see the full moon all you need to do is look up. Finding a dark location to minimize light pollution helps you see the moon's details more clearly.

Did you see the 'halo' around the moon? What it is and when it might happen again

What is a micromoon?

Micromoon is the term used to describe the phenomenon when a full moon coincides with the moon being at its farthest distance from Earth in its elliptical orbit, according to Time and Date.

The moon's orbit around Earth is not a perfect circle but an ellipse, and it has a closest point to Earth, which is a perigee, and a farthest point, which is an apogee.

When a full moon occurs near apogee, it may appear slightly smaller and dimmer compared to a full moon that happens near perigee, which is known as a supermoon.

A supermoon appears larger and brighter because it is closer to Earth. However, the difference in size and brightness is subtle and may not be easily noticeable to the casual observer without a direct comparison.

What is February's full moon called?

The February full moon is commonly known as the Snow Moon because it traditionally corresponds with heavy snowfall in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere.

Some Native American people also called it the Hungry Moon because food scarcity was associated with February, reflecting the challenges of cold and snowy weather, according to Time and Date.

How long does a full moon last?

A full moon technically lasts only a moment when the moon is exactly on the opposite side of the Earth from the sun, and its entire face is illuminated. This moment is known as the syzygy of the Earth-moon-sun system.

However, from an observational standpoint, the moon appears full for a few days around the actual full moon date.

The duration of the full moon phase is influenced by factors such as the moon's orbital speed and the angle of its orbit relative to the Earth's orbit around the sun. Generally, the moon remains nearly full for two to three days, according to Astronomy.com.

Does February have 2 full moons?

February rarely has two full moons.

A full lunar cycle, or the time it takes for the moon to complete all its phases, is approximately 29.5 days. February typically has 28 days, although 2024 is a leap year and this February will have 29 days.

However, thanks to something called the Metonic cycle, which aligns perfectly with the calendar month, February can occasionally have two full moons. This happens about every 19 years.

The most recent occurrence of two full moons in February was in 1999, when there were full moons on Feb. 2 and Feb. 28. The next time February is expected to have two full moons is in 2036.

The second full moon in a calendar month is often referred to as a blue moon, according to the Farmers Almanac.

Will there be a blue moon in 2024?

Yes. There will be a blue moon on Monday, Aug. 19, 2024.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: February 2024 full moon: How to get the best view of the Snow Moon